Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Gel or cellophane cracks

All gels

•Handle the gel and cellophane with care. Fully hydrate the cellophane with distilled water just before use and avoid stretching it during assembly.

•If the cellophane is drying too quickly, instead of hydrating it in distilled water, soak it in the same glycerol solution used for the gel.

•Always remove all air bubbles before drying.

•Lower the heat setting.

•Load frame assemblies into the dryer from the top down. Avoid dripping onto a partially dried gel.

Gradient gels or gels ≥ 0.75 mm thick with acrylamide ≥ 10% T

•Dehydrate the gel in 35% ethanol and 2% glycerol before drying. If gels still crack, increase the percentage of glycerol up to 5%.

Note: With a higher percentage of glycerol, a longer drying period is required. The gels may also be flexible and feel tacky when dry.

Fluor-treated gel

•Use cellophane instead of mylar.

•Use a thinner gel (≤ 0.75 mm

Gel dries too slowly or not at all

Gel dries unevenly

•Rotate each frame 180 ° (front-to-back) every half hour.

Check the gel or stack

•Reduce the amount of glycerol to 0.5 to 2%

•Check that you are not using two sheets of Mylar. At least one sheet must be cellophane.

Check the heater

•Make sure the indicator lamp lights at the low hear or high hear settings. If it doesn’t light or the heater does not heat, the safety switch may be tripped. Check that the front and back of the dryer are unobstructed and wait a few minutes for the dryer to cool, then resume heating.

Gel turns cloudy or white

Gels ≥ 0.75 mm thick with acrylamide ≥ 10% T

•Reduce the percentage of ethanol to 30%.

•Do not soak the gel for more than 2 hours in the ethanol/glycerol dehydration solution.

•After Coomasie Blue staining, be sure to use final destain of 7% acetic acid and 5% methanol.

Dryer does not function

•Check that the power switch is on.

•Check that the power receptacle is properly grounded and in working condition.

•Check the fuses and replace, if necessary

•If the dryer overheats, make sure air can flow freely by checking that both

the front and back are not obstructed. If the dryer overheats more than once in the same day, call the GE Healthcare Technical Service Department.

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Hoefer SE 1200 Easy Breeze Air Gel Dryer